Easel



(No Model.)

B. SMILEY.

EASEL.

Patented Sept. 25, 1883 N. ravens, Pndmfluma m w. Waihinghm. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERT SMILEY, OFKALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

EASEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,438, dated. September 25, 1883;

Application filed April 9, fess. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERT SMILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, county of Kalamazoo, State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Easel, of which the following is a specification.

The'object of my invention is to construct an easel cheaply, of very simple parts, and which can be readily adjusted to conform to Io the peculiar surface of the floor or ground upon'which it stands, and can be conveniently folded up and secured in its folded position either for storage or transportation.

In the'drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2,

a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a front view of the device folded up, and Fig. 4 a side view of the same.

I make the head P from a block of wood 2 in a triangular form. The two forward legs of the easel consist each of two thin parallel strips, BB, for the upper portion, and a single strip, D, the thickness of the head P, for the lower portion. Said upper and lower por- 2 5 tions are of about equal length. They are jointed together by placing the upper-end of the lower strip, D, between the lower ends of the upper strips, -B B, and inserting a bolt, 42, through them, which is held by a thumbnut,

0 1". These legs are jointedly connected in like manner with the lower corners of the head, Figs. 1, 2. Both portions of these front legs are provided with perforations o o, by which means the legs may be made shorter by slid- 3 5 ing the strip D farther up between the strips B B and inserting the bolt n in, a new hole. These holes 12 o are also used to insert pins or bolts in to support the picture-rest S, as in Figs. 1 and 2. The rear leg is composed of 0 two upper strips, ac, and a single lower strip,

0, and jointed together the same as the forward legs. Said rear leg has-no perforations in its lower strip, except one at the upper end to receive the pivot-bolt n, and is pivotally connected with the rear extension of head P. This extension is the same thickness as the lower strip, 0, of the leg. It will beobserved that the knee-joints of the legs are free to be moved without loosening any parts or bolts, the friction of the upper strips on the upper 5c end of the lower strip being sufficient to hold the joint in any needed position without braces or locking means. Thus, should the floor or ground be uneven, any of the legs may have their lower end moved in or out by bending at the knee-joint to cause the easel to stand level. The desired ease at which the joints move is controlled by the thumb-nuts of the bolts. Any wear of the joints may be com-' pensatedfor by setting up the thumb-nuts. In folding the device for storage, placing in a satchel or in'packages for transportation, the thumb-nuts r are slightly loosened, the lower strips of the legs thrown up between the upper strips, the legs all carried near each other, and the thumb-nuts tightened again. The parts thus locked will notfall out of place until the nuts are again loosened. I Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- I An easel consisting of the head-block provided with legs having knee-joints, adapted to sustain the easel at different angles of the joint by frictional contact of the parts forming said joint, and having the series of holes in the legs serving both as adjusting-holes for the knee-pivots and to receive the rest-pins, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony of the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

BERT SMILEY.

Witnesses:

H. B. HOYT, F. A. BUsH. 

